Young Rose Wilder learns about babies and hardship in the continuing saga of her life on Rocky Ridge farm. Just as the farm begins to produce prodigiously, a series of natural disasters occurs. Based on the childhood of the real Rose, Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter, the story lacks the appeal of the original Little House series. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 3-5-The fourth in the series about Rose Wilder's childhood years on Rocky Ridge Farm in the Ozarks. Taking place during the course of a year, her experiences range from the dramatic (a cyclone, a fire, the death of a family friend) to the ordinary (a cider pressing, the annual hog butchering, and the family's first look at the brand new Sears Roebuck catalog). Throughout, Rose is a changing, growing character. Her relationships with others evolve in a natural way that children are bound to relate to, and the awakening of her intellectual curiosity and her transition from childhood to adolescence is authentically depicted. MacBride is obviously fascinated with historical detail, which generally serves this book well, although its length will intimidate many children, and some of the descriptions are perhaps a bit too leisurely. The plotting is where the book lacks structure and cohesiveness; it is episodic to the point of being rambling, with some plot elements just fizzling out (for example, all of the little bits about omens and superstitions never lead up to anything). All in all, though, this is a respectable book worthy of consideration, especially where the series is already popular.-Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.